Page 23 - The Church of Ireland Apologetic for Mission?

The 2014 General Synod gave permission for the Council for Mission to hold a number of Mission Breakout Groups during its business. Feedback from Synod members who participated offers some interesting observations including:
• 55% of participants said there needed to be a greater focus outwards towards the community in which they live through social action and faith sharing.
• Spiritual renewal and deeper engagement with Mission involves change were identified as main priorities. These key areas need to be central to any parochial or diocesan mission strategy.
• Spiritual renewal at local level was identified as key to the mission of the Church. “We cannot give away what we do not have” was the comment from one group member.
The Commission on Episcopal Ministry
& Structures, in its report to the 2014 General Synod stated that it was “mindful of the “requirement in the 2012 Statute that the mission of the Church should be the focus of its work”.29
f. APCK
APCK (Association for Promoting Christian Knowledge) has been active
in Ireland since 1792. It is linked to the Church of Ireland but independent from it.
APCK acts as a publisher for the Church of Ireland, and produces a small number of new books and pamphlets each year as well as the Church’s Book of Common Prayer, the Church Hymnal and other liturgical publications. It also acts as publisher for SEARCH, an academic journal of the Church of Ireland. As noted on the Church of Ireland website, “Detailed information about the Church of Ireland is available from the following Association for Promoting Christian Knowledge (APCK) Study leaflets”30,
p 385 Ibid
https://www.ireland.anglican.org/our-faith/apck/ https://www.ireland.anglican.org/our-faith/apck/sharing-the-faith
suggesting that whilst it is independent it expresses something of the mind of the Church of Ireland.
The 2015 APCK document entitled Sharing the Faith is featured on the ‘What We Believe’ page of the Church of Ireland website. It notes the following:
... (Mission) derives from the very nature of God. God’s life is a dynamic, creative and eternal movement of self–giving love. As Christians we believe that this boundless life and perfect love can be most clearly seen in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. As the Anglican Communion document, Generous Love puts it: “He [Jesus Christ] opens for us the way to the Father and we wish others to walk that way with us; he teaches us the truth which sets us free, and we wish to commend that truth to others; he shares with us his risen life, and we wish to communicate that life to others.”
Mission can never be an optional extra for a Christian. It is a God–given task and part of being a disciple. In this regard, we can learn from St Paul,
who after his conversion embarked on three missionary journeys before travelling to Rome, where he was martyred. St Paul’s missionary zeal is grounded in the fact that he felt compelled to share his faith. This to him is what it means to be a follower of Christ (1 Cor 9:16). He goes to the end of the world because of
his overwhelming experience of God’s love. He is driven by gratitude and wonder at his sense of Christ’s presence in his life. (Gal 2:20).
Mission can never be an isolated activity. It is a way of being that is integral to the Christian life. Mission, being sent, is our response to Christ’s
commission and his love as we
31
experience it.
29 30 31
23